Each UK household should be visited and given free expert advice on how to cut their energy use, new research says.

The ‘energy audits’ would shave on average £230 off domestic gas and electricity bills.

They could also reduce harmful UK carbon dioxide emissions by more than 30 million tonnes per year, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

Household energy use accounts for around 60 per cent of the average person's CO2 emissions.

Energy audits

The IPPR wants the government to push for big energy suppliers to provide the home energy audits.

These would involve experts giving advice on insulation, energy-efficient boilers, solar panels and which grants are available.

The energy audits are already done as part of Home Information Pack requirements for properties being sold and rented.

But the IPPR says this only covers some 1.5 million homes. The audits cost suppliers between £40 to £80 to carry out.

Global warming

IPPR Head of Climate Change Simon Retallack said energy suppliers needed to do more to help homeowners tackle global warming.

‘Giving every home an energy audit will not only help ensure they contribute less to climate change, but could also save homeowners over £200 per year,’ he said.

The IPPR said three quarters of domestic CO2 emissions came from heating the property and heating water. The other quarter comes from powering fridges, lights, ovens, washing machines and consumer electronics.